The Haunting of Borley Rectory: The Story of a Ghost Story

Sean O’Connor recounts the reported haunting of Borley Rectory in Essex, beginning with Eric and Mabel Smith’s arrival in 1928 and the disturbing incidents they described. A skull found in a cupboard, unexplained movements, strange sounds and other alleged phenomena helped turn the remote parish into a national sensation.

The account follows the later experiences of Reverend Lionel Foyster and his wife, Marianne, whose lives became entangled with the rectory’s growing reputation. Harry Price’s investigations and promotion of the case receive close attention, alongside the accusations surrounding Marianne and the role of tabloid reporting. O’Connor also presents Borley as a ghost story shaped by post-war unease, religious belief, village suspicion and the fear of catastrophe.